6AR
Encyclopedia
6AR was a community radio
station based in Perth, Western Australia
. It was operated by the Western Australian Aboriginal Media Association and was on air between 1994 and 2006.
and 6NR.
, better known for his alter-ego Mary G, was an early WAAMA announcer. In the late 1990s Narelda Jacobs
, currently a news anchor
with Network Ten
, was a broadcaster with 6AR.
. The station initially broadcast on the AM
band at 1170 kHz. As well as providing news and music programming, 6AR broadcast a range of sporting programs including syndicated AFL
and NRL coverage through the National Indigenous Radio Service
. They were represented at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney
.
In 2003 6AR moved to the FM band and broadcast from 100.9 MHz. Shortly after the move to FM the station rebranded as a country music station with less focus on Aboriginal culture.
(ACMA) conducted an investigation into 6AR and found that the station had breached their licence conditions. ACMA found that between August 2003 and April 2005 conditions relating to providing Aboriginal programming were not met.
In September 2006 6AR ceased broadcasting and the Office of the Registrar of Aboriginal Corporations
began proceedings to wind up WAAMA. The Australian
newspaper raised the issue of the October 2005 transfer of the station's premises to a private company and the subsequent lease back to WAAMA.
In November 2006 ACMA cancelled 6AR's licence for failing to comply with licence conditions added as a result of the May 2006 findings.
ACMA in January 2008 allocated the vacant 100.9 FM frequency to a group led by Peedac Pty Ltd who proposed a replacement Aboriginal radio service for Perth, 6NME
.
Community radio
Community radio is a type of radio service, that offers a third model of radio broadcasting beyond commercial broadcasting and public broadcasting. Community stations can serve geographic communities and communities of interest...
station based in Perth, Western Australia
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
. It was operated by the Western Australian Aboriginal Media Association and was on air between 1994 and 2006.
WAAMA
The Western Australian Aboriginal Media Association (WAAMA) was founded in 1988 as an Aboriginal Corporation with the aim of promoting Aboriginal culture. WAAMA provided programming for a number of media outlets, most notably for the Australian Broadcasting CorporationAustralian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
and 6NR.
Broadcasters
Mark Bin BakarMark Bin Bakar
Mark Bin Bakar is an Indigenous Australian, a musician, comedian and radio announcer based in Broome, in the Kimberley region of Western Australia and is best known for his television character Mary Geddarrdyu or Mary G who hosted a variety show broadcast nationally on SBS Television.The son of a...
, better known for his alter-ego Mary G, was an early WAAMA announcer. In the late 1990s Narelda Jacobs
Narelda Jacobs
Narelda Jacobs ia an Australia television journalist with Network Ten in Australia. She has been the lead news presenter for Ten News at Five in Perth, Western Australia since 2008....
, currently a news anchor
News presenter
A news presenter is a person who presents news during a news program in the format of a television show, on the radio or the Internet.News presenters can work in a radio studio, television studio and from remote broadcasts in the field especially weather...
with Network Ten
Network Ten
Network Ten , is one of Australia's three major commercial television networks. Owned-and-operated stations can be found in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, while affiliates extend the network to cover most of the country...
, was a broadcaster with 6AR.
Broadcasting
Radio 6AR was launched in 1994 and broadcasted from facilities in Wellington Street, PerthWellington Street, Perth
Wellington Street is the northernmost of the four primary east-west streets in the central business district of Perth, Western Australia. It contains several of Perth's key facilities, including the new Harbour Town shopping development, the Wellington Street Bus Station and the Perth railway...
. The station initially broadcast on the AM
Amplitude modulation
Amplitude modulation is a technique used in electronic communication, most commonly for transmitting information via a radio carrier wave. AM works by varying the strength of the transmitted signal in relation to the information being sent...
band at 1170 kHz. As well as providing news and music programming, 6AR broadcast a range of sporting programs including syndicated AFL
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
and NRL coverage through the National Indigenous Radio Service
National Indigenous Radio Service
The National Indigenous Radio Service is a satellite program feed available in Australia to community radio stations that are subscribers of the CBAA’s Community Radio Network. The NIRS provides targeted and specialist programming for and by Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander...
. They were represented at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
.
In 2003 6AR moved to the FM band and broadcast from 100.9 MHz. Shortly after the move to FM the station rebranded as a country music station with less focus on Aboriginal culture.
Cancellation of licence
In May 2006 the Australian Communications and Media AuthorityAustralian Communications and Media Authority
The Australian Communications and Media Authority is an Australian government statutory authority within the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy portfolio...
(ACMA) conducted an investigation into 6AR and found that the station had breached their licence conditions. ACMA found that between August 2003 and April 2005 conditions relating to providing Aboriginal programming were not met.
In September 2006 6AR ceased broadcasting and the Office of the Registrar of Aboriginal Corporations
Office of the Registrar of Aboriginal Corporations
The Registrar of Indigenous Corporations is an Australian Government statutory office appointed by the Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs under the Corporations Act 2006 The Registrar of Indigenous Corporations (previously the Registrar of Aboriginal...
began proceedings to wind up WAAMA. The Australian
The Australian
The Australian is a broadsheet newspaper published in Australia from Monday to Saturday each week since 14 July 1964. The editor in chief is Chris Mitchell, the editor is Clive Mathieson and the 'editor-at-large' is Paul Kelly....
newspaper raised the issue of the October 2005 transfer of the station's premises to a private company and the subsequent lease back to WAAMA.
In November 2006 ACMA cancelled 6AR's licence for failing to comply with licence conditions added as a result of the May 2006 findings.
ACMA in January 2008 allocated the vacant 100.9 FM frequency to a group led by Peedac Pty Ltd who proposed a replacement Aboriginal radio service for Perth, 6NME
Noongar Radio 100.9
Noongar Radio 100.9 FM is a community radio station in Perth, Western Australia.In January 2008 the Australian Communications and Media Authority allocated a broadcasting licence for 100.9 MHz to Peedac Pty Ltd. The callsign 6NME refers to the initials of Noongar Media Enterprises, a Peedac...
.